But if the likes of Toney and Brooks are sold do the other players see that as the club lacking the ambition for another promotion push and decide they want out? I mean if we had failed to go up and then sold Sarr and Hughes, don't you think our other squad players would see this as we were throwing in the towel, and look to move to a prem side if the opportunity arose?
I've suggested him before, but Milot Rashica would be a great signing. Got a year left on his contract and Werder Bremen look like they might be going down, so likely to be having a fire sale. I reckon an early bid would be well worth it. Would give us a genuine goal scoring threat off the left flank as well as the right.
Shkrodan Mustafi on a free transfer to partner Sierralta? Only just turned 29, loads of experience at this level, and might still have a place nearby. He's a bit of a nutter, but that hasn't stopped us when it comes to signing defenders in the past.
Here’s what we should do Tell Toney to buy out his remaining contract. (£5.2mil if reports are to be believed, £25k p/w with 4 years remaining). We then sign him on a free paying him £40k p/w on a 5 year deal and give him a signing on fee of £6mil. Total cost approx £16.5mil. Much cheaper than what Brentford would want.
I am fairly certain that’s not an option in U.K. sports law -can you recall a single transfer structured like that in English football (ie player and other club buy out the contract without selling club’s consent). You can’t because there isn’t one. Even if that were an option, Arsenal, Leicester, West Ham and several others would be better placed to swoop.
My post was tongue in cheek, however players are able to do this. The protected period is 2-3 years depending on age. So Toney, who signed a 5 year deal, can buy himself out in 2 years and become free. There are however sanctions etc. Anyway, this is a interesting read. https://www.inbrief.co.uk/football-law/football-player-breaking-contracts/
Yeah, it’s the Webster ruling. It was once thought to be the next Bosman but it fizzled out into nothing. The fact is contracts tend to suit both club and player 99.9% of the time.
True about contracts. However it would be hilarious if Toney did that to Brentford. Although we won’t need him 2 years from now when we’re in the champions league and have Vinícius Júnior as our main striker.
I didn't realise Brooks's contract is up next year, but surely they have more than just Danjuma in demand?
I'd imagine Solanke might garner a bit of interest, but outside of that I really don't think they have any true stand outs that will really bring much money in.
Yep. Stanislas, Lerma, Billing & one or two others might be of interest to lower Prem sides (not us hopefully), but I doubt they would go for megabucks.
Ben Waine of Wellington Phoenix. He wouldn't be ready for the first team but at 19 could be one for the future. He has a lot of potential. He is not just a forward who scores but he has a good footballing brain. Technically he can improve but with good coaching that can be achieved. There shouldn't be a problem with work visas either.
Sure, Mustafi wasn't really up to the standard which Arsenal fans were after, but at the same team are you really going to turn your nose up at someone who only two seasons ago was a first-choice CB for them when they finished 5th in the PL and reached the Europa League final? A player who Arsenal signed for £35mil and who still has a few years at a high level?
In all honesty I'd prefer if we're looking elsewhere for a CB. It didn't end well for him at Arsenal and by all accounts the Schalke fans are not best pleased either. Wouldn't he demand massive wages too. I just have a feeling that it's an accident waiting to happen.
Yeah wages could well be an issue, but there'd still be a chance he could be another Britos or Holebas.
Of that I have no doubt. If the Arsenal paid 35m he must of been a decent player. It wouldn't be of any surprise to me if they were keeping an eye on the situation.
Shaqiri leaving Liverpool - I’m sure out of our budget , and will have plenty of offer - but would be a very nice addition imo
The same person who informed me of our interest in Yangel Herrera has suggested we are still interested in Marvin Plattenhardt (LB) at Hertha Berlin after having strong interest in summer of 2019. Also said we are looking at Niklas Stark (CB) who is their captain. Hertha Berlin, whilst having games in hand, look good candidates for the drop currently...which is mental when you look at their squad. Theres a few players there I'd be looking at to be honest! Also mentioned scouts had been watching Josip Brekalo at Wolfsburg but has become apparent over the back end of this season that it'll be a non-starter as they look like being in the CL.
Good grief. I mentioned those two players years ago. Stark wouldn’t be bad, but plattenhardt has dropped off and isn’t good enough for us now. 3/4 years ago I wanted him, not now though. Much better LB’s out there now. If we sign anyone from Hertha, it should Cunha. Although I’m sure bigger clubs than us will be in for him.
Cunha is a great player, and still very young, but I’m not sure he stylistically is what a bottom half PL side need from a striker. It’s a bit moot anyway because as you say he’ll be headed for bigger things than us. Of all their players, I’d like to see us sign their young left-footed CB Jordan Torunarigha. Has had a bit of an injury plagued campaign this year, but has been superb the last couple of seasons and still just 23. Another good CB who could be relegated (sort of) be relegated to the 2 Bundesliga this year is Ozan Kabak. Unclear if he is going to get his permanent move to Liverpool as they are also bringing in Konate by the looks of things for big money. Schalke are down so you’d imagine he’d be available for less than the £18m option put in the Liverpool deal; he seems to have grown into the role and we’ve had interest in him in the past. But we could do a lot worse than Stark. Pretty young, full German international (recently too) and only a year left on his contract so will be cheap too. Thanks for sharing @Burnsy
Was thinking Cunha to be our Sema competition more than our striker. However, we won’t get him, so it’s irrelevant. Agree with you about Torunarigha though. He’s one of the many players on my list that I have been watching. Currently have 93 players I’ve been keeping tabs on.
Based on his time at Stoke and what other players said about his attitude and contribution to relegation, I wouldn't touch him with a bargepole in the situation we're in.
As per Marko's post, Plattenhardt seems to be losing favour with Hertha. Not sure he'd be any better than Masina now. I'm not convinced by Stark either. I'd never really noticed him despite seeing him play a couple of times. Going through highlights he seems good in the air, but lacking a bit in agility and bizarrely casual at times when the opposition are attacking. It seems he's often fine with leaving others to try and mark players and block off shots rather than taking responsibility for those things himself, which isn't something I'd have thought would occur with a player often made captain. He seems to have played both CB and DM this season, and his lack of urgency seems to occur in both positions. Hertha's defence seems to have been poor this season so I'm not sure how good an idea it is to sign someone so involved (or uninvolved) in that. Maybe he'll do a Prodl and still come good? Hmm. It doesn't seem clear yet if Hertha will get relegated though, they have those games in hand and have fixtures against most of the teams around them still to come. Brekalo is a right-footed winger who can play on the left (as well as filling in on the right if needed). It's reassuring we're looking at that kind of player as I think we're desperate for a right-footed winger on the left flank capable of getting goals via cutting inside on to their stronger foot (a la Mane, Rashford, Son, etc.). I don't think Brekalo should be it though, even if we could get him. My immediate impression is that he doesn't look cut out for the Premier League yet, he seems very slow for a wide player and we already have two players ineffective for that reason in Sema and Zinc. Seems even more lightweight than Hughes as well.
I'm still not convinced by him and I don't think he'd work at all well with Sierralta. Plus they'd still want much more than he'd be worth to us.
Get in Vegas, Sebastian Vegas. Has more caps than Sierralta for Chile and a similar age. Plays in the Mexican league so may not be in on the radar of the big boys. Would cost about £5m and presumably we could pay for Vegas through shirt sales
He seems small for a CB. Also, not sure how much the caps mean - Sierralta has hardly played any football at all prior to this season, since then he's had as many starts as Vegas in World Cup Qualifiers (2), and in one of those Vegas was pushed out to LB.
Maybe we go back in for that Korean CB in China - Kim Min-Jae..... Definitely seemed a long term target until we got relegated.... Was being linked with Spurs and Chelsea as recently as January - and his contract seemingly ends in December this year. I'll also be interested to see what happens with Georgios Giakoumakis at VVV-Venlo. Been mentioned on here a few times before. Has kept his form up and scored 24 in 27 in the Eredivise and tops the scoring charts by some distance despite his club being second bottom and in relegation trouble - he's surely off somewhere. But you'd imagine one of the top Dutch clubs will be all over him... Will AZ Alkmaar be tempted to cash in on any of their promising young stars if they miss out on Europe? Not sure how much longer that can hold on to Wijndal, Boadu, Koopmeiners and Stengs. They've got a couple more too...
Christos Tzolis Someone mentioned this guy on another thread, but I can't find the original post, apparently he is the current whizz kid of Greek football and plays for POAK. He is aged 19 and is a left winger he is two footed and very quick and he also gets his fair share of goals too, he sounds like the real deal to me and I'd imagine he would not be overly expensive. Having said that some of the bigger boys are sniffing around, but we are also one of the big boys now, and we might be more likely to offer him 1st team football than the really big clubs, therefore he might be more interested in coming to us rather than going into the youth set up at one of the really big clubs.
I’ve been keeping an eye on him as well, looks very good, but as you say, some of the big boys have also been looking at him.
